In the End
by Kikiro Tsuatashi
Summary: Dee is gone and Ryo is living alone with Bikky but when a mysterious man leaves a gift, Ryo is determined to find out who he is and what really happened the day his lover died. Chapter 3 is up! C&C apreciated!
1. Rememberance and A Stranger

WEE!!!! First Fake ficcy! ::spaz:: And I'm very sorry to anyone who doesn't like what happens to a certain lovably horny detective.... ::cries:: Anyhoo, this fic may take longer for me to update since my other one is going to take up most of my time until it's complete. However, I really want to hear what everyone thinks about this one. All C & C appreciated!

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Ryo sat on his couch staring at the blank TV screen. It was four months to the day since Dee had been killed but for him, it seemed like years and yet no time at all. Everyone had come to the funeral, even the chief and Berkeley took some time off to show their respects. JJ, Drake, nearly the whole precinct. There were hugs of comfort and tears shed but Ryo never acknowledged any of them. He never knew they were there. Dee was gone and nothing could change that. He would never forgive himself for not being able to save him. 

VvV FLASHBACK VvV

"Ryo! Dee! Get your asses moving! We've got a stand-off in the back streets and you two are _not_ getting to stay here alone." Berkeley nearly drug them out of the office before they even grabbed their guns. By the time they got to the scene, small exchange of weapons had already taken place so they were told to keep behind the barricade of police cars. A young Lieutenant filled them in on the suspects and the situation at hand.

"There are two known suspects inside the building, both armed." the young man said. "There is a possible third but we can't confirm yet. There was a brief exchange of gunfire and one of our officers was hit in the leg. We have two snipers on the rooftops across the street ready to take them down at any time, but we need a diversion to keep the suspects focused and coordinate the take-down. They haven't asked for anything but their freedom and they have no hostages. We're assuming they're college-aged and highly untrained by the way they're shooting, but it's still a risk."

"I'll give them the prospect of a hostage," Dee said. "But you'll have to get those snipers to act fast or I'll be dead or captured before anyone can do anything about it." The Lieutenant nodded but Ryo snatched his sleeve. Dee smiled at him and gently pulled his hand loose. "Hey. Don't worry. I'm good at staying alive. But promise me one thing...no matter what happens, I want you to stay here were it's safe. Don't put yourself in danger, ok?" Ryo nodded but there was no longer anyone beside him. He peeked timidly around the front of the squad car to see Dee slowly making his way towards the building. He held his hands up to show he was unarmed and began negotiating with the suspects. Two shots rang out across the alleyway and the two suspects fell harmlessly to the ground. Sighs of relief sounded throughout the group of officers.

"See? Nothing to it!" Dee called as he turned and winked at Ryo with that oh so smug smile on his face. Two teams of officers blew past him to catch the downed suspects but he wasn't really paying any attention to them. There was only one person on his mind and that person was Ryo, who was about to run out from behind the squad car he had been hiding behind. "You move from behind that car and I swear I'll shoot you. You know better than to break cover before the area's secure..."

"There's a third suspect!" one of the radios screamed. "Third suspect is in the building and armed! Everyone get back into position and somebody tell Laytner to duck and cover!" Everyone scrambled to get out of sight. Everyone but Dee, who sauntered slowly towards Ryo and wondered what the rush was about.

"Dee! Get down! There's another g–" Three shots came from the building, cutting Ryo's warning short. "DEE!!!" The world disappeared, like this was just a nightmare. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe. He ran as fast as he could. He didn't care about the guy with the gun. He didn't care about the officers around him yelling. He didn't care about anything, save the man he loved lying on the ground in a pool of blood. He fell to his knees beside his partner and gathered him into his arms, tears streaming down his face. "Dee! Dee! What were you thinking? Dammit Dee! You can't do this to me...you can't leave me here all alone..." Dee smiled weakly and reached up to wipe away the tears.

"Stop crying...you're not the one who got shot!" Ryo stared at him like he was crazy but he just laughed, causing himself a fit of coughing. He rubbed the blood from his mouth as best he could but he knew he couldn't keep up the act for long. "Gah...damn. Doesn't look too good...but I'll tell you right now, Ryo, I'm not gonna kick the bucket just yet. I love you too much to leave you. I swear on Penguin's grave that I'll never leave you alone...ever!" Another fit of coughing hit him and he winced in pain. "Ugh...I think...that ambulance needs to hurry up...I'm not too f–fond of this concrete anymore..." His voice was strained and weak. His eyes fluttered lightly and closed.

VvV END FLASHBACK VvV

Tears were pouring down Ryo's grief-stricken face. _You said you wouldn't leave me...You swore, even. But you did. You died and...dammit Dee!_ The tears came in waves as his body shook with sobs of grief. _You swore you wouldn't leave me! I love you, Dee! How am I supposed to keep going without you? I'm lost...I don't know where to go...who to turn to...nothing. What am I supposed to do now? _He slowly curled as small as he could on the couch and cried himself to sleep.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Bikky walked up to the door of the small apartment, pulling a set of keys out of his pocket. He muttered inaudibly to himself as he fumbled with the dead bolt. _Ryo's gonna fry me alive for being out this late. Oh man! And it's not like he needs any more stress since the accident. Dammit! I knew I should have taken the shortcut through the alley..._ As he fumed with himself he finally got the door open just about the time he heard footsteps coming up behind him.

"Excuse me," a deep voice said. "Is this the apartment of Ryo McClean?" Bikky turned slowly to take a look at the man but he was standing too far into the shadows to see any distinguishing details save for the fact that he was tall, about the same height as Dee. Bikky nodded slowly and the man continued. "Could you see if he's still up? I would greatly like to speak with him." Bikky cocked an eyebrow at him but shrugged and pushed the door open.

Most of the lights were off except for in the living room and the hall by the door. He glanced in the livingroom to see Ryo sleeping fitfully on the couch, still in the clothes he had worn to work. The teen shook his head and smiled as he grabbed a blanket from the hall closet. _And you're supposed to be the one looking out for me...what about you Ryo? Who's gonna watch your back now that that damn pervert's gone?_ He sighed and draped the heavy blanket over his friend's sleeping form before walking back to the door.

"Sorry, you'll have to come back tomorrow." Bikky told the man. "He's already gone to sleep. If you'll give me a name, I'll be sure to tell him you stopped by..." The man shook his head and held out a small box with a note attached to it.

"Just give him this when he wakes up." he said. "It's very important." Bikky nodded and tentatively took the box. It was heavier than he had first thought. He looked up to see if there was anything else he could do for the man but he was gone. _Oh well...not a very sociable guy. I wonder who he is and how Ryo knows him..._ He shrugged and closed the door.

"Who was it?" Ryo asked sleepily as he rounded the corner, making Bikky jump with surprise. "Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you."

"Naw. It's cool. I just didn't know you were up." He turned to face Ryo and smiled, handing him the box. "Some guy dropped this off for you. Said it was really important. Dunno who he was though. He was a little taller than you but other than that, I don't know. I didn't get a very good look at him. His voice was kinda familiar though..." Ryo nodded and took the box from him.

"I don't suppose he wore glasses, hmm?" Bikky shrugged but said he was pretty sure he didn't. _Strange...I don't know anyone that tall that doesn't wear glasses unless Berkeley got contacts, which I seriously doubt. I wonder what's in here..._ He slowly opened the note that read nothing more than "thank you." He scowled and opened the box, nearly dropping it in surprise. Inside was a small metal picture frame in the shape of a heart. But what shocked Ryo the most was the picture. It was of him and Dee in the park kissing. Ryo couldn't think of anyone who could have gotten that picture outside of himself and Dee. He ran to the door and flung it open in hopes of catching the man but he was long gone.

Snow was falling lightly but the cold wind stung the detective's pale face. He sighed heavily as he closed the door, leaning heavily upon it. _This is very strange indeed...everything is obviously pointing to Dee as the culprit...but that's impossible. Dee's dead...and I'm not one to start believing in supernatural crap._

He shook his head and shivered slightly from the cold. He walked around the corner back into the livingroom and picked up the blanket that Bikky had covered him with earlier. Slowly, he folded the blanket as he stood, deep in thought.

"Ryo?" Bikky's voice snapped him back to reality, making him drop the blanket. "You look awfully tired. Why don't you go ahead and get some sleep. I'll get this picked up. Besides, you have to go to work tomorrow." Ryo smiled and nodded his thanks. _So considerate...I guess I've had a little impact on him at least..._ He walked slowly up to his room, beginning to feel the tiredness set in. He peeked into his room, half expecting to see Dee lying expectantly on his bed, and sighed. Staring at the huge, perfectly empty bed brought the tears back.

He flopped on the bed, hugging the pillow for comfort. He cried and cried until his cheeks stung and his throat hurt, but nothing would make the pain in his chest go away. He felt sick to his stomach and his limbs were weak. Exhaustion was taking hold of his grief ridden body. His eyes closed slowly as his sobs lulled him into a dream-filled sleep.


	2. A Strange Lunch

OMG! I'm so sorry for taking so long to post this chapter. I've been super busy with work and school and everything else. But yeah. I finally got this one up. Not quite as exciting as the firts chapter, but I promise it gets better. C&C welcomed greatly.

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"Ryo? Ryo? Hey, anybody home?" Drake waved his hand in front of Ryo's face. "Dude. Wake up, man. Time for lunch." Ryo shook his head and stretched, blinking sleepily at his friend. He had zoned out at his desk again. He hadn't been sleeping well recently. Recently being for the last four months. _This isn't good...I can't concentrate when I'm so tired all the time..._ He grabbed his jacket off the rack as he stood from his chair.

"Come _on _you guys!" JJ complained. "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" Ryo smiled as Drake swatted playfully at his hyper friend. It was nice to see that they were getting along well as partners. Ryo wasn't the only one who had been hit hard by Dee's passing. JJ had taken off for nearly 6 weeks after the incident. Drake had just been assigned as his partner at the time and had taken it upon himself to comfort him. It seemed that they had grown very close after JJ came back to the precinct.

"Ryo? You zone out on us again?" Drake asked as he tried to keep JJ from running out the door with his keys. "Come on! If this moron get's to the car before me, there won't be any food left at the restaurant when we get there." Ryo smiled and slipped his jacket on.

"You two go on ahead." he said. "I've got to drop this paperwork off in Berkeley's office and file a few more things real quick. I'll catch up to you at the restaurant." The two nodded and rushed out the door. A small smile escaped Ryo's lips as he watched them go. He remembered how Dee had always drug him out the door when lunch rolled around. He shook his head and gathered up and small pile of papers from his desk. He turned the corner and slipped into Berkeley's office. "Here's the paperwork on the Anderson case you asked for, sir."

"Thank you, Ryo." Berkeley replied as he took the papers from him, placing them in a manilla folder for filing. Ryo turned to walk back out but Berkeley stopped him. "Ryo? Are you doing ok? You're falling behind on some of your reports and you've been really out of it recently. If you need a few days off to have some time for yourself don't hesitate to ask. I don't want you pushing yourself too hard." Ryo glanced over his shoulder at his boss, slightly confused. _Time off? He never gives anyone time off...plus, I didn't think he really cared about anything but this job. That's a little odd..._

"No. I'm alright." he said as he opened the door. "I think I just need a bit more sleep. Thanks though." He stepped out of the office and closed the door behind him. Dianna waved as he passed by and he waved in return as he stepped into the bright sunshine of the crisp December afternoon.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Woohoo! Sushi!" JJ bounded out of the car with Drake and Ryo behind him, desperately trying to find a way to disown their overzealous friend. _I didn't think it was possible for anyone to have that much energy...Oh well. At least I get to have sushi for lunch. It's been a while since I've eaten anything but take-out._ They had met up in the parking lot of the restaurant, since Ryo had stayed a little later, and JJ was about ready to eat through the cars to get to the actual food. Drake grabbed Ryo's sleeve and yanked him between JJ and himself.

"Save me!" he squeaked in mock terror. "I don't think he took his medicine this morning. The hyperactivity could spread!" Ryo chuckled lightly, playing along with the joke, and yanked Drake in front of him.

"Well, don't use me as a shield." he muttered. "There's only one way to calm him down." Drake glanced over his shoulder, catching the mischievous grin on Ryo's face. "Count of three?" Drake nodded, donning a grin of his own. "One...two...three!" All at once, they pounced on JJ, tackling him to the ground through fits of laughter. They wrestled around for a few minutes before they realized they were still in the parking lot as well as in plain sight. Ryo jumped up, red-faced, and helped his friends to their feet.

"Let's not ever do that again in public." Ryo muttered as they walked in, taking a booth by the window. The waitress came by, smiling sweetly as she took their orders, making the three of them blush slightly. Immediately after she walked away, Drake snickered and winked roughishly at Ryo. He stared back at his friend, slightly confused. "What was that for?"

"Oh come on, Ryo!" Drake said, nearly giggling. "There is no way that you can deny that chick was hot. Even if you don't like girls you can still appreciate that, right? I mean, damn! Ooo! And a cute ass, too." He leaned around the corner of the booth as she walked past, heading to another table. "Hee hee...Ouch!" JJ smacked the back of his head contemptuously. "Hey! What was that for? Just because I belong to you doesn't mean I can't look." JJ stared, Ryo stared, and Drake realized what he said. He covered his mouth and his face flushed bright red. "I...uh...I mean..."

Try as he might, Ryo couldn't help but laugh. "Ha ha ha ha! Well, congratulations! Though I think from the look on JJ's face you should have told him about that." JJ just stared dumbfounded. Sure they were close and he had asked him out on a few dates but he had never expected Drake to feel the same way. It was quite a shock but, as usual, he recovered quickly. His hand reached out and grabbed Drake's almost automatically and he smiled.

"Better late than never." he said, his normal energy and complete honesty returning. "Besides, who could say no to that? I mean, seriously!" Drake gently shoved him away, blushing slightly, and muttered something about JJ being an embarrassment to his age bracket.

The rest of lunch went smoothly enough, aside from the consistent teasing and the fact that JJ decided that nothing else existed once their food arrived. Ryo sat in relative silence, hardly eating any of his food. His mind was elsewhere. For a brief moment, Ryo felt like he was being watched but he shrugged it off. _I'm just being paranoid._ He glanced out the window, watching the blank faces of the people walking by. Suddenly, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He caught a glimpse of a man across the street staring through the window at him but when he tried to get a better look he was gone.

"Ryo?" Drake looked concerned. "What's wrong?" Ryo just shook his head. What was he supposed to do? Tell Drake about the mysterious stranger the night before with the photo that wasn't supposed to exist? And now everywhere he goes he feels like he's being watched? Not hardly. So he smiled, paid his part of the bill, and walked out to his car.


	3. Nightmares and Reality

Woo! Chapter 3! I'd like to thank all my reviewers for their wonderful comments. And just for the record, Dee really is dead. Gomen. I kinda hate myself for doing that, but it's just a story. I have to apologize for the ever-changing catagory. This story was originally going to be a romance but after all that time of revising this and that, my brain took a weird turn with the plot. So _I_ don't even know what the catagory would be. It will most likely keep changing until the story is complete. Just hang in there. I promise it''l be worth it.

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Ryo took the rest of the day off. He really didn't feel like doing any more work. Berkeley wasn't in his office after lunch so he left a note on the desk and walked out the door. The drive home was monotonous as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary aside from hitting every red light possible. Bikky and Carol had just started watching a movie in the living room when he walked in.

"Ryo? What are you doing home so early?" Bikky asked, pausing the DVD player as the opening credits began to roll.

"I took the rest of the day off." he explained. "I didn't really have much to do anyway so I figured I'd spend some time at home with you." It was a lie, of course. The truth was, he had mounds of paperwork to finish and file. He knew taking the time off was stupid. He was running behind on his bills and there was hardly any food in the kitchen as it was. But he was tired. _I'll work extra hours next week or something._ He yawned softly. "I'm gonna go take a quick nap. Wake me up in a few hours and we'll go out to dinner, maybe something else, too." Bikky gave him and odd look, a mix of indifference and worry, but nodded and unpaused the movie. Ryo shuffled wearily to his bedroom. Exhaustion took hold of his body and he was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Ryo. Ryo. Wake up, Ryo. It's a beautiful morning." Ryo grumbled but cracked his eyes open. Dee was leaning over him with a soft smile on his face. Wait. Dee? Ryo sat bolt upright and stared in shock and disbelief.

"Dee! Is that really you?" Tears began to build up in his eyes, threatening to spill down his cheeks at any moment. "But it can't be. I thought you were dead."

"Who me?" Dee replied, feigning a look of hurt for a moment but quickly replacing it with his signature, cocky smirk. "You know there's no man alive who can kill me. I'm bulletproof!" He hugged Ryo close to prove his point and in return, Ryo let loose the torrent of tears that he had tried to hold back. "Baby? What's wrong?" He held Ryo back and gently lifted his chin to look into his tear-stained face.

"Oh, Dee. Promise me. Promise me you'll never leave me again. Promise me you'll always be here for me. Promise me. I love you too much to lose you again." Dee stared deep into his eyes. Those beautiful, pleading eyes he could get lost in for hours. He smiled that feather soft smile that always made Ryo feel better. The one that no one had ever seen except the man he loved. He wiped the tears from Ryo's face and gently kissed his lips.

"I promise." No sooner had the words left his mouth, BAM! BAM! Gunfire? What was going on? Dee looked down at the two perfect holes in his chest. Blood was everywhere. Blood on the sheets. Blood on the walls. Oozing and dripping from the wounds. Everywhere. He looked up in horror at Ryo as his eyes began to glaze over. "W-why?"

Ryo's body shook as Dee fell lifeless to the floor. His face was splattered with blood as was his shirt. And blood stained the warm gun held tight in his hand.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Ryo! Ryo, wake up!"

"AAAHHHHH!" Ryo sat up so fast he nearly knocked Bikky to the floor. His eyes darted around the room. No blood. The sheets? Nothing. No gun. No Dee. It was just a dream. Even so, his body was shaking horribly. Sweat dripped from his forehead and his heart was racing.

"Are you ok?" Bikky asked. "That must have been one hell of a nightmare. We heard you screaming over the TV." He tried his best to sound concerned but he was fairly shaken up himself. He'd never seen Ryo this upset by a nightmare. Sure, there had been times he'd woken up screaming, but this was worse somehow. Carol stood in the doorway, pale-faced and very frightened. Ryo was about to say something but he covered his mouth and rushed into the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before his stomach heaved what little lunch he had eaten back up.

Bikky ran after him, yelling at Carol to get a glass of water as he did. By the time she got back, Ryo was sitting cross-legged on the end of the bed. He was still a little shaky but he looked quite a bit better than he had before. He sipped lightly at the water, washing away the bitter taste in his mouth.

"Ryo?" Carol asked quietly. "Are you gonna be ok? That was really scary." Ryo handed the half-empty glass of water to Bikky and tried a small smile. He reached over and hugged her tightly.

"I'll be fine." he told her. Another lie. Nothing was fine. Nothing was ok. Everything was going out of control and he couldn't figure out why. _I've had nightmares before but this...this was different. This was almost like a memory. Almost real...Arg! What's wrong with me? A memory? Maybe I'm losing it. I'm too afraid to stay awake. Too afraid to sleep. But worst of all, I don't have anyone to talk to about it. Carol and Bikky would just get scared and anyone else would just think I'm crazy. Maybe I am crazy...or maybe it's just me feeling guilty for not saving him. I don't know..._ Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Ryo jumped in surprise.

"I got it." Bikky called as he ran out of the room, leaving the water on Ryo's night stand. Ryo sighed._ So what are you going to do about it, Ryo? Are you going to sit here and keep lying to your friends? Are you going to keep blaming yourself for his death and sink lower and lower in your hole? Or are you going to stand up and do something about it?_ Ryo composed himself and nodded resolutely. _Definitely have to go with doing something._ Just then, there was a small crash and a thud from the other room. Ryo was immediately alert.

"Carol." he whispered urgently. "I need you to get in the closet and hide, ok? Don't come out for any reason unless I tell you to. And you have to be very, very quiet. Do you understand?" She nodded, eyes wide with fear, and ran into the closet. She quietly closed the door, peering through the slats as Ryo left the room.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Ryo held his gun tightly as he glanced around the corner. He could hear the TV in the living room. Bikky must not have paused their movie before he ran into the bedroom. He checked the front door. Closed. No sign of Bikky though. He walked slowly and carefully towards the living room. He could see most of the kitchen from where he was but the wall he was walking along hid the living room from view. His mind was racing. As he turned the corner, his heart stopped. The gun nearly dropped from his hand.

Bikky was lying on the floor by the couch. Forgetting his caution, Ryo ran to his side. He had a pulse and he was breathing fairly normal. _Thank God...He's out cold and there's a good sized lump on his head but he's alive._ Ryo felt a tingling sensation, like someone was right behind him. Before he could think to react, something hit him hard across the back of his head. His vision faded to black and he fell unconscious to the floor.


	4. Unlikely Accomplice

"Ugh…" Ryo slowly opened his eyes. His head was pounding. He tried to sit up but found that his hands were tightly bound behind his back. He took a look around the room but there was nothing more than a few old chairs and a crate of come kind. It was small, cramped in a way, despite the lack of furniture. _This is bad. Really bad. I don't have a clue where I am and there's no telling what happened to Bikky and Carol._ He struggled feebly against the rope but it was tied well and his body was still weak.

"Oh good. You're awake." Ryo jumped slightly. He hadn't heard anyone walk into the room. "I'm very sorry about all this." the man said as he walked to where Ryo could see him and helping him into a sitting position. "My men don't really seem to understand the meaning of 'gentle.' But don't worry. The one who hit you has been punished." Ryo stared hard at the man, though he made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He was younger than he would have thought by the way he spoke, only in his late twenties. His dark hair was short and well kept. The white shirt and tie he wore seemed impeccable and the dark dress pants were perfectly pressed. He seemed like any perfectly normal businessman until you saw his eyes. They were ice blue and hard as nails. Cold and ruthless. The eyes of a killer. Ryo shuddered but those eyes held him in place.

"What do you want?" Ryo asked shakily. "What did you do to Bikky? If you hurt him I swear…"

"You ask a lot of questions and make a lot of threats for someone in your predicament." the man said, cutting Ryo short. "However, the boy is fine. We left him at the apartment. I didn't really want to hurt him but he got in the way. As for what I want, I think you already know the answer to that. At least you should. I like to keep things even, but the game seems a little one-sided at the moment. It's two to one in favor of you and your friends. But I'll soon remedy that." He smiled maliciously at the confused blonde. "Don't worry Ryo. Nothing will happen tonight. I'll put you through a living hell before I kill you." He leaned close to Ryo, making the detective exceedingly uncomfortable. "And just so you know, the name's Thomas." With that, he walked out of the room, leaving Ryo alone with his thoughts.

"Two to one? What does he mean by that?" Ryo muttered to himself. He couldn't quite figure out how this 'scoring system' was set up. _Maybe he means that we put 2 of his men in jail… No that can't be right. Wait! He said he was going to kill me to even the score. That means we killed two of his men. _Suddenly, his mind clicked. He had seen those eyes before. Twice in fact. Once outside the restaurant that day. And once behind a gun 4 months earlier. The same man who killed Dee. The third suspect that they had never caught. This was the leader of a dangerous gang of murderers. Thomas Anderson.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Ryo was alone for quite some time before anyone returned. It was a young man, barely 19 years old if even that, with bright intelligent eyes and unruly brown hair. He held a tray of food in one hand and a gun in the other. The boy put the food down in front of Ryo and untied his hands, doing his best to keep the gun leveled at Ryo's chest. Ryo stared at the food but didn't touch it. He didn't feel very hungry.

"Eat." the young man said simply. "You need all the strength you can manage." His tone was kind but carried a hint of suppressed authority. Ryo sighed and picked timidly at the unappetizing food. It looked like something scraped off the road but it tasted alright. "So what's it like?" Ryo looked up at the boy questioningly. "Being a cop, I mean." He glanced up at the door and lowered his voice a bit. "When I was little, I always wanted to be one." Ryo smiled, taking a small sip of the water on the tray.

"It's alright, I suppose." he replied, keeping his voice down as well. "The pay is good and most of the people are nice enough. It's a little stressful at times and you see a lot of things that most people never want to think about. Murder, suicides, parents who leave their little girls on the street to sell themselves for rent money. It's not always fun and games. You're always looking over your shoulder, waiting to jump in front of a bullet for your friends." His eyes went misty for a moment but he shook his head and looked up. "What changed your mind about being a cop? You don't really seem like someone who really wants to hurt people."

"My old man was never around. I had to take care of my mom and two sisters by myself. I never had a chance to go to school cause I was working all the time. We barely scraped by for so long. Then I met the boss. He convinced me that he could help me get back into school and get money to support the family too. It was little stuff at first. A few scams here or there. But I figured out pretty quick that I had gotten in over my head. I told him I wanted out, but he threatened to kill my little sister. I'd do anything to get out of here and put that sick bastard behind bars, but everyone I love would be dead in 2 minutes flat." He sighed, helplessly. "I've been here for 3 years now. My sisters are on the street and my mom's sick. And I can't do a damn thing about it." Ryo stared in shock.

"What's your name?"

"Michael."

"Alright, Michael. I think we can help each other out. It's very dangerous but I have an idea that can get us both out of here. All I need you to do is get the location of this place to Berkeley Rose at the police station. Tell him that I'm here and alive. Tell him anything you can that will help him out. And…" Michael stood abruptly and snatched the tray from in front of Ryo. He walked behind Ryo and grabbed his hands.

"I've got breakfast duty in two days." He whispered as he tied the rope around Ryo's wrists. "We're doing something that night. I'll do some snooping and figure out what it is and talk to your friend. I'll get you out of here as soon as I can. And one more thing. Be careful of the boss. He's not exactly your ordinary psycho, but that's all I can tell you." He stood, shoving Ryo onto his side and sneering at him before walking out the door. Ryo sighed but he knew his night wasn't over yet. Someone was still in the room.

"Hello again, Ryo." Thomas said mockingly as he stood over him. "Do you like games?" Ryo didn't answer. "I know I do. I love games." He jerked Ryo to his feet. "In fact, why don't we play a little game right now. I think you'll enjoy it." He snickered at the stubborn blonde as he stared at the floor. He wanted a challenge. "Oh come now, Ryo. It'll be fun. You'll see. But we can't play here." He pulled hard on Ryo's arm, making him stumble sideways and nearly hit the wall. Ryo tried to pull away but he had a very strong grip on his arm. _I really don't think I'm going to like this game…particularly after what Michael told me…_ The boss yanked him out the door and they disappeared down the hallway.


	5. Pain and A Plan

W00t! You asked for more updates and you got them. I give you fair warning, though, this is the main reason for the rating of this fic. Please, please, please! If you have weak hearts or stomachs, DO NOT READ THIS! I'll just put it this way, editing this chapter made me want to cry and throw up all at the same time so yeah. Don't ask me where this came from, I swear my mind is not this demented...at least not on a consistant basis. On a brighter note, this marks the halfway point in the story. Well, kinda. There are a total of 9 chapters in this fic and I have been considering writing a sequel. However, I'm not sure whether I will or not. I have some ideas but I still would like to hear from my readers, who I would like to thank once again for your comments and encouragement. Well, enough of my blabbering. On with the chapter.

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Ryo tried to get his bearings as he was dragged along, hoping to keep his mind from figuring out the 'game' he was about to be playing. The building was old and creaking. They passed room after room, a few open revealing old desks and computers. _This must be one of the old office buildings. Hmm…that would mean it's probably on the south side of the city…about 30 minutes or so from the precinct. That might make it a bit more difficult for Berkeley to find me. All these buildings look the same and half of them are inaccessible. _His concentration was broken as Thomas threw him into a small side room.

"Come on, Ryo." he said. "Let's play." He snickered, shoving Ryo roughly towards the back corner of the room. Ryo's body was shaking. He was scared. Being an officer, fear was a given. He knew that people could be dangerous when cornered and he had always had a fear of being shot. But this, this was something completely different. This was complete and total horrifying fear like he'd never felt before. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. No way out. He was completely helpless.

His mind began to race as strong hands pushed him down onto a steel-framed bed. He was numb. He couldn't think. He couldn't act. He felt his hands being retied above his head. He squeezed his eyes shut and prayed it was all just a nightmare. A terrifying nightmare. But he knew it wasn't. He could feel the weight as Thomas pinned him tightly to the bed. He tried to struggle but his mind wasn't working.

His pants were gone, thrown carelessly into the shadows of the room. His shirt had been ripped open impatiently, most of the buttons lost to the darkness as well. He gasped in pain as he felt something cold and sharp being drug across his exposed chest. Ryo bit his lip to keep from crying out as he felt a tiny trickle of blood slip down his side.

His closed eyes saw greedy hands sliding over his naked body. He wanted to scream. He wanted to be saved. But he knew there was no one there to help him. He knew it would only make things worse. He felt the hands being replaced by a hot tongue, lapping and licking its way up his body. Tears started to well up in his eyes as Thomas bit savagely at his tender neck. Ryo could feel him smirking as he roughly pressed his lips against his own. The ever-hungry tongue shoved its way into his mouth, searching and ravaging as it went. Ryo summoned up all of his courage that he had left and bit down as hard as he could, earning him a vicious slap across the face.

"Why you little…. Fine. We'll play the hard way." Thomas spat out, the words dripping like acid on Ryo's ears. "Too bad. I _was_ going to wait a few days before I broke that beautiful pride of yours but I think I'll do that right here, right now." Ryo felt the weight disappear for a moment and he struggled furiously towards the edge of the bed. "Oh no you don't." Thomas threw him back and rolled him over, shoving his face into the mattress.

Ryo screamed as the other man pushed inside him. Pain ripped through his body again and again as he pushed deeper and harder. Through the screams, Ryo could hear the laughter. That cruel, harsh laughter. It tore at his heart and mind, mocking him as it rang through the air and mixed with his screams. Tears gushed unbidden down his face. He could feel something warm and sticky running down his thighs. He knew it was blood and it made him cry even more. All he could do was scream and hope it would all be over soon.

After what seemed like hours of torture, Thomas was satisfied. He left Ryo alone and naked on the bed, locking the door as he walked out. With the last of his strength, he managed to get the rope untied and pull the stained, messy sheets over himself. Heart wrenching sobs racked his exhausted body. His mind was battered, his body bruised and weak. His throat was sore from screaming and his tears stung painfully as they flowed down his cheeks. But he was not broken yet. He remembered a tiny hope and he clung to it like life itself, even as he slipped into the blessed darkness of sleep.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Morning found Ryo weak and sore. He rolled clumsily off the bed and hit the floor hard, nearly knocking the wind out of himself. He winced in pain as he crawled slowly around the room collecting his clothes, not even able to stand on his own yet. He found everything easily enough but getting them on was another matter. His pants and underwear were more or less alright, aside from being a little on the wrinkled side, but his shirt was a mess. Buttons missing, rips everywhere, and a large blood stain on the right side rendered the thing almost useless but he pulled it over his shoulders none the less.

A small groan spilled from his lips as he glanced down at his exposed chest. There was a long gash running almost down to his waist from the knife. Fortunately, it wasn't very deep and would heal fairly quick. Unfortunately, it hurt terribly. He thought about shredding his already tattered shirt and using it as a bandage but figured there wasn't much sense in doing so. He had a nagging feeling that Thomas would be back later for round two.

"Hope you slept well." Michael muttered as he walked in, carrying Ryo's breakfast. His face was grim as he put the food down. "I heard what happened. I'm sorry you had to go through that before I could get you out of here." He sat on the floor across from Ryo but couldn't really bring himself to look at the detective. "You've been out for almost two days, which is a good thing." He glanced quickly at the door and lowered his voice. "I got ahold of your friend. There's a big party for the boss tonight and only a few of us are staying here to watch the place. The plan is to get you out of here and set up a trap for the boss when he gets back."

"Great job, Michael." Ryo said as he shoveled food into his mouth. He could feel his energy and strength returning with every bite he took. "You're a good kid. Maybe when all this is over and sorted out you could come by the precinct and see what you can do. Who knows? You might get to be a cop like you always wanted and support your family the right way." The boy's eyes lit up and he grinned up at him.

"You really think so? Thanks." He glanced at his watch and sighed. "Well, looks like it's time to get going." He stood and walked behind Ryo, quickly retying his hands. Before he left, he placed a small knife in his hand, making sure he had a firm grip before letting go. "It's 4 pm now," he whispered. "The boss leaves at 6 and your friends are supposed to get here at 7. Use that to get rid of the rope and I'll get rid of the guard. Good luck." With that, he left, leaving Ryo smiling inwardly. _That kid…I hope someday his family can be proud of him. He gave up his dream to save them and now he's risking his life for someone he barely knows. Makes you wish there were more people out there like him…_ He sighed and went to work, sawing slowly at the rope around his wrists.


	6. Betrayal

It took Ryo a good two and a half hours to cut through the tough rope. Several guards kept checking on him every 10 minutes or so, making the job a little more difficult. No one really said anything to him but there seemed to be a nervous excitement in the air. Outside the closed door, Ryo could hear the fervent chit chat of the men and a few harsh words from those being forced to stay behind.

At last, the noise died away, replaced with the sounds of departing vehicles. The rope lay in pieces on the floor as Ryo waited impatiently for his rescue, ticking off the minutes on the clock by the wall. It was a few minutes after 7 when he heard the door creak open slightly. He tightened his grip on the knife, ready for the worst.

"Ryo? Are you in there?" Ryo recognized that voice. He jumped to his feet but fell back on the floor hard, still not quite recovered enough to stand properly. He crawled slowly towards the door, ignoring the searing pain running through his legs.

"Berkeley!" he cried, his voice little more than a hoarse whisper. "Berkeley, thank god it's you! I'm in here." Tears dripped slowly down his cheeks as his boss threw open the door and ran into the room. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you. I'm glad Michael got a hold of you in time or I might not have been around much longer." Berkeley looked at him strangely as he pulled him to his feet.

"Who's Michael?" he asked. "We got the descriptions of two of the men that kidnapped you from Bikky and Carol. We finally caught up with them and tailed them here. That's how we found you. We never got a tip off from anyone." Ryo stood on shaky legs with his arm draped over Berkeley's shoulders. He stared hard at the taller man, his mind processing what he had been told.

"But…Michael said…" He stumbled over his words as he tried to clear his muddled brain. "If you never got the tip, that means that…oh god!" Ryo's eyes went wide with horror as the realization dawned on him. "We have to get out of here, now! It's a trap!"

"Bingo, bingo! Congratulations, you win the prize!" Michael stood in the doorway, surrounded by a small group of men carrying guns. The young man sneered cruelly at the blonde detective. "You were so easy to deceive, too. You're the kind of person who tries to find the good in everyone. I figured you'd fall for that 'poor family' dribble. You're such a kind-hearted fool, Ryo. You really are. But I guess I should thank you for that. Now, I'll be the boss's new best friend when he gets back. Too bad you won't be around. I'm afraid I'll have to shoot you, since you were trying to escape." He snickered, taking a few steps toward the pair.

Suddenly, there was a crash and the sounds of a scuffle coming from down the hall. The guards' concentration flickered for just a moment, but that was all Ryo needed. He chunked the knife he still held as hard as he could at the nearest guard. It flew straight and true, hitting the man hard and burying itself in his shoulder. Berkeley swung a tight fist at Michael, connecting squarely with his jaw and knocking him out cold.

Pandemonium broke out and the two detectives managed to slip past the guards. But soon, they were completely lost in the winding halls of the old building. Every turn seemed to be a dead end and time was running out. The guards would eventually catch up and then it would be all over. Ryo was falling behind, his body screaming in protest as he pushed himself to keep running. As he slowed down, he caught sight of a familiar room. It was the same one he had originally been held in.

"Berkeley!" he called softly, not wanting to attract the attention of the guards behind them. "There's a way out up here. I'm sure of it. I saw people coming in and out the first day I was here." Berkeley nodded and slowed his pace a bit, grabbing Ryo's hand to make sure he didn't fall behind again. Ryo looked down and almost smiled. _If we weren't running for our lives, I'd think he meant more by that. But then again…he has been acting a little weird towards me…_ Ryo shook his head, pushing his theories aside and concentrating on finding the door. 'There!" They jerked right and opened a door into the crisp evening air. "We made it!"

"Geeze! What took you so long?" JJ nearly screamed as he ran to greet them. "We were starting to get worried about you. Only three of them are in custody but we can stick around a while longer and…"

"Forget it," Berkeley said, cutting him off. "The backup we requested won't be here in time to catch the rest of them and we've taken enough risks as it is. Take the suspects wee have back to the precinct. I'm taking Ryo to the hospital." JJ sighed and nodded, rounding up the officers as Berkeley led a very tired Ryo back to his car.

"I'm alright, you know." Ryo muttered. "I just need some sleep. I'll be fine in the morning…I'm serious. I…" He felt more than saw the gun. Everything around him disappeared as he turned to look. He knew who was behind the gun. He knew quite well, though he wasn't sure how he had gotten back so soon. His eyes went wide as he glanced back at Berkeley, only a few feet away. _"I'll put you through a living hell before I kill you."_ Thomas's words echoed through his mind. He ran for all he was worth, stepping in front of Berkeley just as he heard the trigger being pulled.

Pain surged through his chest. He could feel it but it wasn't really as bad as he thought it would be. He was vaguely aware that someone had caught him. Words rang in the air but they meant nothing to him. He felt strong arms pull him into the car but it didn't matter. Everything was growing hazy and out of focus. He couldn't really concentrate on anything. _So this is it? This is what dying feels like? Sorry I won't be there for you anymore, Bikky. You've grown up so much. Take care of Carol and don't cause too much mischief. Well, looks like I'll see you again pretty soon, Dee._ Someone shook him hard, telling him to hold on, but his mind wasn't in it. Ryo smiled as everything faded away and he floated into unconsciousness.


	7. Dreams and Happiness

Berkeley had never driven so fast in his life. The 15 mile trip to the hospital barely took him 10 minutes. He pulled the car to the back and threw it in park, jumping out and running to the other side. Quickly and carefully he pulled Ryo out of the seat and carried him into the Emergency Room. He was covered in blood and the nurses kept trying to make sure he was alright but he waved them off. He knew Ryo was fading fast and he wasn't about to let him die.

"Hold on, Ryo." he muttered as he laid the unconscious blonde on a gurney. "You can't die on me. I know you think you don't have anything left to live for, but I don't know what I'd do if I lost you now. Please. Just hang in there." The nurses told him to stay in the waiting room and hurriedly wheeled Ryo to surgery.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

_"Ryo. Ryo. Listen to me, Ryo. You have to wake up."_

_"Dee? What happened? Am I dead?"_

_"No. You aren't dead, at least not yet. You're just unconscious right now, having a dream."_

_"But it seems so real."_

_"Well, in a way, it is real. Don't ask how it works cause I really don't know. But back to why I'm here. You need to wake up. You need to _choose_ to live."_

_"I don't understand what you mean."_

_"Exactly what I said. If you want to live you have to choose life. You're in a coma, Ryo, and your body is dying. The only way you can get through this is by your own will power."_

_"But…what if I don't want to live. Things have happened. Terrible things. Things I don't want to remember but I know I will. Things that will haunt me for the rest of my life. And…well…you're here. If I die, I'll be with you again."_

_"True. But I want you to live. You have so much more ahead of you, so much more good to do. And there's someone else who very much wants you to live, though I don't know what I'm thinking letting you be with him."_

_"Who are you talking about?"_

_"I think you know. Besides, absence makes the heart grow fonder. You'll make it through. And I'll be watching over you every second of every day until it's your time to see me again. I said I'd never leave you, didn't I? Well that was a promise and I'm sticking to it. So I want you to live. Live for me. And live for him."_

_"…ok. I will."_

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Ryo's eyes fluttered open slowly. Machines beeped on either side of the bed. It was dark outside the window but he could still see the flowers and cards lining the sill. He felt a slight pressure on his hand and looked down. A pair of glasses lay on the bed next to a mess of unruly hair. He smiled a little, giving a light squeeze in return. Berkeley nearly fell off the seat in surprise.

"Ryo!" he sobbed, his eyes red and swollen from tears and lack of sleep. "You…you're awake! The doctors told me you probably wouldn't wake up for at least another week, if at all. Oh, thank god you're ok." Fresh tears streamed down his face as he hugged Ryo gently. Ryo opened his mouth but no words came out.

"Hush." Berkeley said as he put a finger to Ryo's lips. I'm going to go get a nurse, ok? I'll be back in just a second. I promise. And don't you ever scare me like that again, am I clear?" Ryo nodded solemnly. "Good." As he turned to walk out, Ryo did his best to suppress the chuckle but it came out all the same. _Thank you, Dee. I still love you and I will always miss you, but I think I can move on. Thank you, so much._

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

It was four weeks later before Ryo was released from the hospital. Berkeley spent had spent every free second with him, barely even going home throughout his stay. Bikky and Carol had come by a few times every week with Drake and JJ who had agreed to watch the pair for a while.

"It feels wonderful to be home." Ryo sighed as he stepped through the door of his apartment. "Peace and quiet, my own bed, and most importantly, no more hospital food." He chuckled as he sat on the soft couch in front of the TV. Everything was just as he had left it. He picked up the small metal picture frame that sat on the coffee table and shook his head. "I suppose this should go in my keepsake drawer as well, huh?" He walked slowly into his bedroom, opening the bottom drawer of his dresser. Inside, there were pictures, clothes, and other belongings that all reminded him of Dee. Gently, he placed the picture in the drawer and closed it.

Ryo laid across the bed and stared at the ceiling, letting his memories bubble to the surface of his consciousness. He remembered the first time he met Dee and how very open he was. He remembered how JJ used to drive Dee insane by following him around all the time. He remembered their vacation of sorts when Berkeley had first come into the picture._ He's really changed a lot since Dee died. I guess he really does care for people. _He thought about all the silent screaming matches Dee and Berkeley would have over him and he laughed. _They never seemed to get along but I guess it was just because they were so much alike._ Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, making Ryo nearly fall off the bed. He walked quickly to the front and peeked out the door. There stood Berkeley with a bouquet of yellow roses in hand. _Huh? Roses? And my favorites too. How'd he know I liked yellow roses better than red?_

"Hi, Ryo." he said as Ryo opened the door wider to let him in. "I though maybe you'd want some dinner since all you've had was that horrible hospital food. And don't worry, I have approval from your doctor for it. Besides, I'm sure you don't want to stay here all by yourself." Ryo smiled as he took the flowers and turned to walk into the kitchen.

"That sounds wonderful. But I don't have very much money. With all the time I had to take off because of my injury, I barely have enough to pay the rent, much less go out to eat. Besides, I have food here." Berkeley watched as he filled a vase with water and placed the long stems of the roses in it.

"Who said I'd let you pay for anything?" Berkeley smirked at the look of astonishment on Ryo's face. "Anyway, what kind of date would it be if I made you pay for your own dinner?" His face flushed slightly and he looked down at the floor, suddenly feeling a little less bold than he had at first. "At least, if that's ok with you…I mean, I know it's a little rushed, seeing as you just got out of the hospital. And…well…I kinda thought…um…"

"It's perfect." Ryo replied, cutting off the rest of his nervous babble. "I don't have any plans and the kids are already occupied so it's wonderful timing." He smiled, walking over to take hold of Berkeley's arm. "But you have to choose the restaurant. I hate picking so don't even ask." They both laughed and headed out the door of the apartment, arm in arm.

Woo! And so starts the romance portion of the story. Sorry for all the craziness in the beginning there. I don't know where it all came from. Insanity I tell you! INSANITY! O.o Don't ask. Lack of sleep does things to you…I mean…big time. But amazingly enough, it makes pretty good plots come to mind. :giggles hysterically: Yesh well, much fluff and stuff to come::_Hey! That rhymed! XD_: Oh! And sorry for the slightly ooc-ness of Berkeley. But seriously, who wouldn't get nervous asking someone as cute as Ryo out on a date? Teehee! But anyways, thanks to everyone again for the reviews. I'd love to hear more from you guys! Feel free to e-mail me suggestions for scenes and such and don't forget to give me your penname so I can give you credit for it! ttfn!


	8. Final Confrontation

"Ha ha ha! I never knew that! I'd always seen him as a stuck up businessman, not a geek." Ryo giggled as the pair walked back into the apartment. It was amazing how easy Ryo felt talking to Berkeley. He seemed so different outside the office. He smiled, taking his coat off and hanging it in the closet.

"Well, it's getting late." Berkeley said as he checked his watch. "You should probably be getting to bed. I'll see you tomorrow."

"You're not going to stay?" Ryo asked, a little shocked. Berkeley had always been very forward in his actions toward him before. It was strange seeing him so standoffish.

"Not tonight." he replied. "Maybe next time. Right now, you need your rest." He smiled and pulled Ryo close in a warm embrace. Ryo seemed to almost fall into his arms. He felt warmth bubble inside him, a happiness that he thought had died many months before. He leaned up and placed a quick kiss on Berkeley's cheek.

"Goodnight." Ryo whispered as he turned, heading to his bedroom.

"Goodnight." Berkeley replied, his voice carrying a hint of surprise. He slowly walked out the door and down the steps. As he got to his car, a small smile began creeping across his face. "Good night indeed." The engine started and he sped off into the night.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Ryo woke the next day feeling better than he had in quite some time. His old routine fell right back into place and he even had a little extra time to grab some coffee on the way to the precinct. The minute he walked in the door, cheers rang through the building. Hugs and hearty handshakes were given from everyone. But once he got to his desk, he was all business. There were mounds of paperwork to be done.

"Drake…" JJ muttered. "We're supposed to be working." They were both in Drake's office with the door closed, supposedly discussing something of importance. Instead, Drake had JJ backed against the wall with his shirt halfway unbuttoned.

"So?" He lightly bit JJ's exposed neck, coaxing a small moan out of his partner. "You really want me to stop?" he whispered breathily in JJ's ear.

"No…" As if to further his answer, he wrapped his arms around Drake's shoulders and kissed him deeply. As their tongues danced and intertwined together, Drake slid a daring hand down JJ's pants. JJ gasped, breaking the kiss, as Drake gently stroked his member. Suddenly, the door opened and Ryo walked in.

"I need you to look over and file this report for me. Thanks." he said as he dropped the folder on the desk. He turned and walked back out, never taking his eyes off the stack of papers in his arms and completely oblivious to the situation he interrupted.

"Um…did he really just do that and _not_ notice what we were doing?" JJ asked as they both stared at the closed door.

"Yeah."

"I think we should get back to work."

"Yeah."

"And never do that here again. Ever."

"Yeah."

"And you're a whore."

"Y-Hey!"

""I'm kidding!" JJ giggled. "I just wanted to see if you'd say 'yeah' again. You know I love you."

"Yeah. I know." Drake hugged him tightly and helped him fix his clothes. "Now let's get back to work. But you know, we're gonna have to finish this later." JJ just grinned and grabbed the file off the desk.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Ryo yawned as he handed the last file to Dianna. For once his desk was somewhat clean. Nearly all the reports piled up from his slacking off were written and filed.

"Yo! Ryo!" JJ called as Ryo was packing up to leave. "You heading out?" Ryo smiled and nodded. "Well, we're gonna go check out this new club. Wanna come? It'll be lots of fun."

"Oh, I don't know." Ryo replied looking skeptical. "I'm not really a club kind of person. I don't dance."

"Come on. Please?" JJ donned the infamous puppy-face-of-doom. "I promise we won't make you dance…"

"Alright, alright. Anything to make you stop pouting. Sheesh! You're worse than Bikky." JJ giggled and bounded towards the door.

"Yay! Just follow us. It's not too far."

He was right. The club was only 6 blocks away. The building looked like it had once been a small business office. Outside, it looked almost ancient except for the bright neon lights reading 'The Lighthouse' over the front door. Inside, however, was a different story entirely. Strobe and colored lights filtered through the haze of the huge room. The whole back wall was one long bar framing the crowded dance floor. There was a stage at the front where a several girls were dancing. Upstairs was almost like a balcony, with couches and a few scattered pool tables.

"Come on, Ryo!" JJ squealed as he drug Drake to the dance floor. "Let's go dance. Oo! I love this song!"

"But…" Ryo started to protest. He sighed and shook his head, following them into the crowd. "I'm gonna kill you guys." He stood on the wooden floor a few feet away from the pair just watching. Several girls tried to get him to dance but he politely turned them down. He looked through the mass of people, catching glimpses of familiar faces but no one he really knew. Suddenly, he saw someone he _did_ know. Their eyes met across the room for a moment and Ryo knew.

"Hey guys." he muttered to his friends. "I'm gonna step outside for a minute. I need to make a phone call." They nodded and he walked towards the door. He could feel the man following him as he stepped through the door and pulled out his cell phone. He heard the footsteps just as he hung up the phone.

"Hello, Ryo." Thomas said as he cocked the gun in his hand. "Long time no see. How are you? I heard you just got out of the hospital. Such a shame that had to happen, but it was your own fault after all." He snickered as he rubbed the barrel of the gun on his shirt.

"Heh. You made three mistakes, Thomas." Ryo replied, doing his best to keep his voice level. "First, you killed the man I loved and hurt my friends. Second, you came alone. And last but not least, you forgot who you were dealing with." Before Thomas even had a chance to wonder what he meant, Ryo drew his gun and fired. The single shot echoed through the alley, mixing with the sound of approaching sirens.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Well, I'd say that was a damn good shot if you didn't want him dead." said the medic. "From what I can see, the bullet missed everything important despite how close to the heart it hit. We'll keep an eye on him and you guys can take over when he's released from the hospital." Ryo nodded as the ambulance rolled away. _I could have killed him easily. But I won't be selfish. There are other people that he's hurt and they deserve their own justice._ Ryo sighed and walked to his car. He was tired and needed to get some sleep. He started the engine and drove out of the full parking lot with a small sense of closure. After all, now the man who killed Dee and raped him would no longer be free to hurt anyone else again.

* * *

I know. I said it would be romance from now on. But I had to close out that part of the story. Besides, I couldn't let our loveable Ryo get raped and then let the asshole get away. That's like getting money for Christmas and throwing it in the trash. Not gonna happen. Anyway, I'm almost finished with this story and I've already got some ideas for a sequel. As always, feel free to drop me a line and lend some ideas of your own. I like to write but a story isn't judged by how much the author likes it. It's the readers who truly define a good story. Woo! Random intellectual moment. It's gone now. And I know I said 9 chapters earlier in the story but it's definitely looking like it may be 10. I'm still not quite sure. Just bear with me though. Anyhoo, I'll get the next chapter typed up and posted as soon as I can, whether it's the last or the second to last I won't know till it's posted. XD Laters all!


	9. Without the Right Words

**One Month Later-February 14****th**** Valentine's Day**

"Good morning, beautiful." Berkeley whispered in Ryo's ear as he gently shook him awake. "Today's a special day." Ryo groaned and pulled the covers over his head.

"It's 9 in the morning and it's my day off. Leave me alone. I need more sleep." Berkeley just smiled and shook his head as he kicked his shoes off and crawled under the covers. The last month had been very eventful for the new couple. Berkeley had persuaded Ryo to move into his house, after two weeks of incessant begging of course. Bikky and Carol had rooms of their own and naturally Ryo had a room to himself as well, though he rarely used it anymore.

Berkeley had changed so much in the past six months it was unreal. Granted, he was still a by-the-book egotistical bastard when he wanted to be, but the coldness about him was gone. He actually smiled now. In fact, he smiled quite a bit, particularly when Ryo busily rushed by the open door of his office.

"You realize that since you're in _my_ bed _I_ get to decide whether you sleep or not." Ryo pulled the covers off his face and glared evilly at the man beside him. Berkeley bit his lip, desperately trying not to laugh at the sight. Ryo's hair was an absolute disaster and his eyes were barely open as it was, adding to his comical attempt at a glare.

"You know better than to wake me up this early when I have nothing to do." Ryo muttered crankily. "If I wasn't so tired, you would be in so much trouble." Berkeley grinned roguishly.

"Oo. Could be fun." Ryo swatted at him but he ducked and wrapped his arms around him, pulling the sleepy blonde close. "Go back to sleep, love. We've got a little time to kill before lunch." Ryo wasn't even listening. He was sound asleep already with a happy smile plastered on his face.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Ryo!" Berkeley almost yelled from the doorway. "Up! Now! We're already late!" Ryo groaned and tried to curl back under the covers but Berkeley ripped them away. "Not this time. Now get your cute little ass out of bed this instant. Its past noon and we're supposed to be at the restaurant in ten minutes."

That got Ryo's attention. That and the fact that he was only in his boxers and the room was freezing cold. He jumped out of bed and ran to the closet. He grabbed a pair of pants off the hanger and pulled them on as fast as he could. Berkeley handed him a shirt and helped him with his tie. They were in the car and on their way in less than five minutes.

"Sorry we're late guys." Ryo muttered as they sat down in the booth with Drake and JJ. "I kind of overslept." The latter gave him an 'Uh huh. Sure you did.' look but let it slide. They had actually been a few minutes late themselves so they really didn't want to push the matter that much.

Lunch was quick and simple. Both couples had other plans for the rest of the day so the chit chat was minimal. In fact, the only interesting thing that happened was JJ getting stabbed with a fork for trying to steal Drake's salad.

Ryo was strangely quite as they left. Something was bugging him about that morning but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice they were home until Berkeley opened the car door for him.

"Are you ok, Ryo?" he asked with a look of genuine concern. "You look like something's bothering you and you've been awfully quiet." Ryo just shook his head and got out of the car. Berkeley couldn't remember the last time he had seen Ryo so out of touch with reality and it was beginning to worry him. He followed the shorter man inside and closed the door behind them.

"I need a nap." Ryo muttered as he loosened his tie. "Wake me up in an hour or two." He started to walk towards his room but Berkeley caught him by the arm and pulled him close.

"Something's bothering you and I want to know what it is."

"Nothing's bothering me. I'm just tired."

"Bullshit."

"Stop acting like you give a damn!" Ryo suddenly yelled as he wrenched away. Berkeley just stared at him, very shocked and a little hurt. "Stop acting like I'm the only thing that matters. Stop trying to impress me. And most of all, stop making me fall in love with you!" Tears threatened to spill down his cheeks but he stubbornly held them back. "I don't want to fall for you. I don't want to fall for anyone ever again. Every time I find something special, I always end up losing it and I can't bear to lose everything again." He couldn't hold them back any longer and the hot tears trickled in tiny rivulets down his face.

"Come here." Berkeley said gently as he grasped Ryo's shaking hands in his. "I don't want you to feel obligated to stay with me. It's your choice and always has been. I just want you to be happy. But no matter what happens, I will always be here for you. I promise."

"Stop it! Just stop it!" He jerked away again. "Don't promise me anything. He promised he'd never leave me but he did. He left me all alone and lost with nowhere to turn. I can't go through that again." He turned and ran to his room, slamming the door behind him. Berkeley sighed and slumped on the couch. This was definitely not how he had wanted the day to go. It hurt that Ryo compared him to Dee, but it wasn't what bothered him the most. What Ryo had said before made him wonder what was going through the half-Asian's mind. _Making him fall in love with me? I wonder what he means by that…besides the obvious. God, why can't I figure him out? It would make life so much easier. I can't tell what he wants and he won't tell me straight up…so much for a simple romance. _He almost wanted to laugh at the thought but shook his head instead.

A few muttered obscenities and he got up off the couch. _I don't really want to leave him here alone but we could both use the space. I need some time to think and I really don't think he wants to talk right now, as if he didn't make that clear enough already. I guess I'll just go for a little walk. _He grabbed a light jacket from the hall closet and headed for the door, hoping he could figure out a way to make up for whatever he had done wrong. Most of all, he prayed he hadn't lost his only chance to show Ryo how much he really meant to him.

Yeah, yeah. I know. I said 9 chapters but it's going to be 10. So sorry guys. And I do believe I've forced Ryo to become bi-polar. O.o EEK! Anyhoo, I promise the next chapter will be the final chapter and yes, I'm going to start the sequel. I can't promise it will be out any time soon though. Working full time at 2 different jobs cuts into my writing time. Well, I better get back to writing that last chapter. R&R always appreciated.


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